Firefighters / First Responders: See Hovercraft Training Centers & Neoteric Hovercraft at FDIC 2017

Hovercraft Training Centers and Neoteric Hovercraft will be featured at this year’s FDIC (Fire Department Instructor Conference). The world’s largest firefighter conference and expo - attended by 35,000+ firefighters, chiefs and instructors from more than 53 nations - takes place April 24-29 in Indianapolis at the Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Convention Center.

If your department still relies on ropes, boats and other apparatus for water, ice and mud rescues, you’ll definitely want to visit us at Booth #2704 and …

1) Watch videos of hovercraft rescue operations by HTC-trained pilots

2) Fly a remote-controlled hovercraft.

3) Get answers to all your questions about rescue hovercraft and pilot training.

4) Register to win one of three FREE Hovercraft Flight Training Courses, valued at $1,575 each!    

The Hovercraft Training Centers / Neoteric Hovercraft booth at last year's FDIC.

Flat bottom Jon boats and other watercraft are of questionable use in shallow water, swiftwater, flood, ice and mud rescues, and they can be seriously dangerous to you and to the lives you’re tasked to save. Come see how a Neoteric rescue hovercraft can greatly improve the safety, ease, speed and success of your rescue operations … while keeping you above the danger – not in it. It quickly flies you into areas where no other vehicle can go, and it’s the only hovercraft with the ability to brake and back up. 

But don’t just take our word for it. See what HTC-trained first responders around the world say about their Neoteric Hovercraft in comparison to other rescue vehicles …

Council Bluffs Fire Department, Iowa:

Central Fraser Valley Search & Rescue Society, Canada:

"The hovercraft gets us into areas that, before, we weren't able to reach, areas that our jet boat can't get into because we ingest debris into the impeller. And the hovercraft saves us a lot of time."

North Muskegon Fire Department, Michigan:

"Our hovercraft have saved more lives that all our fire engines combined. Since 1985, more than 255 people have been rescued from Muskegon area lakes using the hovercraft. More than half of them would have drowned not having the hovercraft as a safe rescue tool."

Mansfield Fire Department, Texas:

"The benefit of having the hovercraft is we do not have to send our personnel into the water to retrieve victims. It can also hover over logs, car tires and any other debris, unlike boats, that could be a hazard in the water. A hovercraft is the answer to a faster rescue - a safer rescue."

Davis County Sheriff's Office, Utah:

"Our hovercraft, without question, has saved lives. Much of our county is covered by the Great Salt Lake, and when the water is low it leaves miles of mudflats boats can't reach. We can't get airboats out there. When it's extremely windy it's hard to get an aircraft or helicopter out there, and even walking out is impossible. We were putting rescuers in harm's way, but the hovercraft allows us to hover over mud, ice or water and get right to the patient - to literally reach out our hand and pull them out."

Read more about Hovercraft Pilot Training ...

and

Learn more about Neoteric Hovercraft ...

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Neoteric Hovercraft: A popular tourist attraction in China

At Hovercraft Training Centers, we provide far more than standard hovercraft flight training. For instance, our Master Hovercraft Pilot & Maintenance Training course teaches those who use hovercraft professionally to train others and to independently maintain and repair their hovercraft. This minimizes travel expenses for our customers and for our personnel, as well.

A good example is the recent hovercraft flight training that took place in China. Yellow River Tourist Attractions in LuLiang City, Shanxi Province, already owns one 4-passenger Model 3877 Neoteric hovercraft and, due to its popularity, the company has increased their fleet with two additional 6-passenger Model 5854 Neoteric craft.

Neoteric’s agent, Mr. Huang Xiaogang, President of China Hai Pai Hovercraft, Ltd. – the leading hovercraft company in China – sent two of his engineers to conduct the training.

First, the Hai Pai engineers (in red) conduct ground instruction for Yellow River Tourist Attractions’ additional pilots, which includes the basics of hovercraft function, operation and maintenance …

Next, flight training begins. Hai Pai Engineer Mr. Lu Chun Zhong (in red) familiarizes the pilot trainees with the operational features of the Neoteric hovercraft. Here, he explains that its patented reverse thrust buckets make the Neoteric Hovertrek™ the only hovercraft on the market than can brake, fly backward and hover in place …

The Yellow River, where training took place and where all three hovercraft will be operated for tourism, is the second-longest river in China and the fifth-longest in the world. It’s famous for being the “mother river” of China and the cradle of Chinese civilization (2100-1046 BC).

It takes its name from its muddy yellow water coming from the sediments it carries. Because of its heavy silting, ordinary boats can’t be used on the Yellow River. And in the last five years, it has flooded more than 1,600 times. Since Neoteric hovercraft are used globally as flood rescue vehicles, these three tourism hovercraft could serve a double purpose!

Unlike other vehicles, the Neoteric hovercraft flies easily across water and mud during flight training …

At the end of the day, Yellow River Tourist Attractions’ newly-trained additional hovercraft pilots proudly display their flight training certifications …

LuLiang City, with a population of more than 3.7 million, is located in the LuLiang Mountains. It has four distinct seasons, but is a tourist destination all year. Now its visitors, from China and from elsewhere in the world, will have an increased opportunity to see the many attractions along the Yellow River in areas that no vehicle other than a hovercraft can reach.

But the Neoteric hovercraft as a Chinese tourist attraction doesn’t stop there …

Recently, Neoteric’s China Hai Pai Hovercraft arranged a HoverTrek™presentation in YiWu, China for Mr. Gu ChaoXi, Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs, and Major General WenPing Feng, a Commander in the Chinese People's Liberation Army.  

The presentation took place while the YiWu Emergency Rescue Team used their Neoteric Model 3626 65hp 4-passenger hovercraft to conduct flight training for additional pilots.

After the flight training, the Team’s Neoteric craft appeared at the famous annual Jujube (Red Date) Festival in Qikou Ancient City, near LuLiang. The festival celebrates the jujube fruit, also known as red dates or Chinese dates – which have been cultivated in China for more than 4,000 years - and includes a wide assortment of cultural entertainment such as folk operas and dance performances …

And this year, one of the festival's popular features was a Neoteric hovercraft ...

For more than two centuries, Qikou, a unique terraced city carved into a steep hillside on the banks of the Yellow River, served as a vital trade hub. Goods coming by river had to be off-loaded in Qikou because the water was too shallow for boats to pass, then everything was loaded onto camel trains. But following the introduction of rail transport in the 1930s, the town fell into economic decline.

On a positive note, the decline helped preserve Qikou’s ancient structures from being redeveloped into new buildings … and now new life has been injected into the city by the rapidly growing tourism industry.

It’s official: Hovercraft + Training + Tourism = success in China!

Learn more about our hovercraft training courses …

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Pakistan Air Force discovers importance of hovercraft pilot training

In 2013, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sea Survival School (SSS) purchased two 4-passenger Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft for security patrol along the Korangi Creek Air Force Base shoreline in Karachi, Pakistan. The curved shoreline contains mudflats and mangroves that make it inaccessible to vehicles other than hovercraft. 

One of the two Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft purchased by the Pakistan Air Force

Sea Survival School is shown here during preliminary testing on the

Wabash River in Terre Haute, IN.

At the time of purchase, the PAF’s budget did not allow for their hovercraft to be equipped for saltwater operation, or for flight training and maintenance instruction. Due to this lack of training – which includes teaching the additional maintenance procedures required when a hovercraft is not equipped for saltwater operation – both of the PAF’s hovercraft suffered deterioration.

Fortunately, both Hovercraft Training Centers and Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. offer dedicated customer service. Chris Fitzgerald, HTC Senior Instructor and Neoteric President, traveled to Pakistan for a week to conduct maintenance instruction, to provide onsite flight training, and to assist in upgrading both Air Force hovercraft for saltwater operations.

The work was done at the PAF Sea Survival School, under the command of Squadron Leader Raza Khan, the Commanding Officer of the SSS. Wing Commander Mahmood traveled from Islamabad to review the training program. The following personnel were involved in the restoration of the two hovercraft: Squadron Leader Raza Khan; Senior Technician Mahid (electronics & weapons); Chief Technician Mairaj (ground transport engines); HS-1 Rashid (electrical); Skilled TM Wagar (student fitter); HS-2 Iqbal (painter); Skilled TM Najam (maintenance) and Chief Technician Farooq (road transportation driver).

The Pakistan Air Force hovercraft maintenance crew and pilots pose for a photo in their workshop/storage facility. Left to right: Chief Tech Mairij, HS-2 Iqbal, HS-1 Rashid (electrical), Skilled TM Wagar, instructor Chris Fitzgerald, a security guard,

Skilled TM Najam and Senior Technician Majid.

Senior Technician Majid (left) and Chief Technician Mairij undergo maintenance training

while assisting in upgrading the two rescue hovercraft for saltwater operation.

The Pakistan Air Force Sea Survival School hovercraft team, from the left: Skilled TM Wagar, HS-1 Rashid, Skilled TM Najam, Senior Technician Majid, HS-2 Iqbal, 
Security Guard, Chief Technician Mairij, and a visitor on the far right.

The PAF Sea Survival School:

The primary role of the Pakistan Air Force Sea Survival School is to train fighter pilots in “survival at sea.” In addition to their two hovercraft, the SSS also operates several fleets of sailboats, windsurfing boards, motor launches, jet skis and inflatable dinghies for rescue missions, training and for the PAF’s participation in national and international competitions. In addition, Pakistan and surrounding nations rely heavily on the PAF for tsunami, cyclone, earthquake and flood rescue operations.

The Pakistan Air Force Sea Survival School in Karachi, Pakistan.

Chris Fitzgerald reports that the SSS has an excellent, wide and gently sloping concrete hoverway reaching out to the sea. During his visit, the prevailing 15 mph winds continually generated 1- to 2-foot waves. He says, “This was an outstanding team of dedicated and cheerful people who worked relentlessly under harsh conditions to restore both hovercraft in a limited time frame.”

The importance of hovercraft training:

Due to the omission of flight and maintenance training when the Pakistan Air Force purchased their two hovercraft in 2013, the craft suffered enough damage that their refurbishment, and maintenance training to personnel, took longer than anticipated. This left insufficient time for flight training. Chris Fitzgerald was able to give preliminary pilot training only to Commander Raza and Chief Technician Mairij. But this can be rectified by additional flight training either onsite in Pakistan or at Hovercraft Training Centers in the U.S.

Make no mistake: a hovercraft is a flying machine. You don’t drive it - you fly it 9 inches above the surface. Just as you wouldn’t jump into a helicopter and take off without proper flight training, neither should you do so with a hovercraft.

Capt. Cory Lingelbach, a U.S. Air Force firefighter and hovercraft pilot at the Hill Air Force Base Utah Test & Training Range, explains the importance of training quite concisely: 

“Trying to fly a hovercraft without training would be nuts! We use our hovercraft on and off our base. Without the level of training sophistication that Hovercraft Training Centers provided, we would never be able to perform our missions the way we do.”

Capt. Cory Lingelbach (left) and his fellow U.S. Air Force personnel

went through flight training and maintenance instruction when they took

possession of their new rescue hovercraft at the Neoteric factory.

Capt. Lingelbach enrolled in Hovercraft Training Centers’ Advanced Training Course, which includes hard access, fast-flowing water rescue and nighttime operational training. For he and his team, learning how to operate a hovercraft properly has not only proven to boost the safety of their rescues, but it has also dramatically improved their response times. The UTTR Air Force rescue team has reduced its recovery time from an average of two hours with ATVs to just 20 minutes with hovercraft.

Military personnel and first responders: 

Learn how a Neoteric Hovercraft gives you faster, safer rescues ...

Then take a Test Flight to see for yourselves.

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Hovercraft Pilot Training for the world’s leading gold mining company

Hovercraft Training Centers’ Senior Instructor Chris Fitzgerald just returned from the Dominican Republic where he conducted a week of flight training at Barrick Gold Corporation’s Pueblo Viejo gold, silver and copper mine. Their Neoteric hovercraft will be used for the mine’s exceptional biodiversity and environmental projects, as well as for surveying and safety & security.

A hovercraft is the only vehicle able to travel over the hazardous sections of the mine’s five tailings ponds. And it’s only natural that the Neoteric HoverTrek™ - with an environmental impact less than that of a seagull standing on one leg - was the vehicle of choice for Barrick, the most ecologically conscious mining company in existence.

The mine purchased its hovercraft in 2012, but without training it was passed from department to department and eventually left to sit idle in a maintenance yard where it became damaged. It was discovered in 2015 by the mine’s Department of Biological and Ecological Sciences, who requested that they take charge of the craft. Next, they arranged onsite maintenance and pilot training with Hovercraft Training Centers. Eleven employees completed classroom and maintenance training and four of them underwent flight training. 

Pueblo Viejo personnel receive their certifications after a week of classroom, maintenance and flight training. From left: Mara Fernanchez (technical translator); Carlos Paredes (mechanic crane shop); Yeison De la Rosa (lead hand for the pond); Anthony Emil Beltre Nobou (draftsman surveyor); Chris Fitzgerald (Instructor); Rafael Torres Liriano (technician in biodiversity lab); Jhon N Ozoria Lora (senior surveyor and drone pilot); Rafael Zeonorch Romess (mine maintenance and chauffeur); Moises Alejandro Musalem Rodriguez (biologist); Geller Nicanor Vazquez (hovercraft champion or leader, environmental technician); Juan Carlos Santos (environmental technician). Absent: Victor Manuel Korval Heredia (equipment operator for the pond) …

At the El Llagal Tailings Pond, trainees prepare to launch the hovercraft for flight training.

A large area of the pond is filled with muddy clay, consisting of fine red particles and water. 

The hovercraft is the only vehicle capable of crossing this material ...

During classroom training, students watch a video that teaches them
the proper procedure for loading and unloading the hovercraft trailer ...

Headquartered in Canada, Barrick Gold Corporation is the world’s leading gold mining company, with operations on five continents. The Pueblo Viejo mine is one of the largest gold mines in the world and is the biggest single investment ever made in the history of the Dominican Republic. Over the 26-year life of the mine, it will produce an annual output of 700,000 ounces of gold and 3,270,000 ounces of silver. You can see the mine’s economic output when you consider that, in US dollars, the current value of gold is $1,196 per ounce and silver is $16 per ounce.

As an example of the company’s emphasis on biodiversity and the environment, Barrick’s Department of Biological and Ecological Sciences is spending more than $2 million on a project to study and preserve several endangered tree frog species that would be impacted by its Pueblo Viejo mine. The project includes a captive breeding program with two facilities – one in the El Llagal Valley where the frogs live and another at the Santo Domingo Zoo. The project resulted in the frogs’ reclassification from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a process known as down-listing. 

A researcher tends to the tree frogs at the Barrick breeding facility near the Pueblo Viejo mine ...

Barrick also operates a large archeological program in and around the Pueblo Viejo mine. In 2010, this effort resulted in the discovery of artifacts revealing that Pueblo Viejo is the first mine in the Americas, built by colonists after Christopher Columbus discovered America. Excavations also unearthed the remains of a small colonial Spanish Church and miners’ living quarters dating back to 1513. These valuable ruins were carefully relocated and preserved.

Other historical finds include bones, pottery and art – including a German beer stein preceding Columbus’ time, and a glazed stoneware stein engraved by the renowned German Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer.

Archaeologists examine ruins from the first colonial mine in the Americas,

discovered at Barrick’s Pueblo Viejo mine in 2010 ...

Their frog project, their archeological program – and proper training on their Neoteric hovercraft – are just a few of the many ways Barrick is endeavoring to protect and preserve the environment, wildlife and history of Pueblo Viejo. The company is also conducting the largest environmental cleanup in the country’s history, reversing damage caused by a mining operation that closed without proper remediation in 1999.

See a photo gallery of flight training at the Pueblo Viejo mine

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Hovercraft Rescue Training on Flooded Wabash River

First responders from the Council Bluffs Fire Department in Iowa had an exceptional opportunity yesterday to undergo flight training and learn flood rescue techniques in their new 6-passenger Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek. HTC flight instructors Chris Fitzgerald and Steve Stafford conducted their training on the Wabash River, now at 22.8 ft. flood stage.

The steep Wabash River boat ramp is submerged in water all the way to the parking lot
as Council Bluffs’ first responders begin their training.

Fire Chief Justin James reported, “I am excited to get back to Council Bluffs and start training our personnel on the new rescue craft. Crazy part was we were operating in real flood waters here in Terre Haute. Reminded me of 2011. It was awesome being able to operate in deep and shallow flood water without having to worry about destroying a motor or boat. We also got to train rescuing victims that may be stranded in trees or roofs of homes due to the rising waters. We simply used the craft to hover into and hold position near these real obstacles.”

A structure near the Wabash River is nearly covered with water.

Firefighter Jason Sornson added, “Big thanks to Chris and Steve for an awesome experience. Everything around the Wabash River was flooded, which led to an amazing training experience! Great machine for Council Bluffs Fire Department!”

Sornson is correct – their new hovercraft is a great asset for their city. When Chief James said the flooded Wabash River reminded him of 2011, he was referring to a summer of massive floods in Council Bluffs, so severe that the National Guard had to be called in to assist with hundreds of rescues. Dozens of homes and other structures literally collapsed in the torrential rains and flash floods.

As the U.S. National Weather Service reports, “Flooding is one of the leading causes of weather-related fatalities in the U.S. … People underestimate the force and power of water, especially when it is moving. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock over and carry off an adult. Twelve inches of water can float a small car; if that water is moving, it can carry that car away. Eighteen to twenty-four inches of flowing water can carry away most vehicles.”

That’s why fire departments and other rescue agencies are increasingly relying on hovercraft as the ideal vehicle for flood rescue operations. As a newscaster reported during the recent floods in Texas, “A hovercraft is sometimes the easiest way for the rescuers to get to folks surrounded by these waters … You can’t go out in normal boats because you don’t know what kind of debris is out there … These hovercraft are just a much more effective way …”

And Neoteric’s Rescue HoverTrek, with its patented reverse thrust, easily and safely operates in  debris-filled floodwater and has the unique maneuverability for up-close access to victims without forcing first responders to enter the water.

Council Bluffs Fire Department’s new 6-passenger Rescue HoverTrek at the flooded Wabash River.

First responders: 

Learn why a Neoteric hovercraft is the preferred flood rescue vehicle …

Take a Test Flight or Training Course at HTC

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Hovercraft Operation: A Three-Legged Stool

We at Hovercraft Training Centers use the analogy of hovercraft operation as a three-legged stool: If one leg is weak, it topples. The three legs are: 1) A properly engineered hovercraft; 2) Thorough pilot training; and 3) A comprehensive maintenance program.

When you simply buy a hovercraft and take off on your own without pilot or maintenance training, most likely it’s going to end up parked in your garage and, whether you planned to use it for business or pleasure, your dream is going to topple.

But when you make sure your intentions have a strong foundation, your future with your hovercraft will play out like Barry Eison’s – its novelty and usefulness will increase over time. Barry is a 58-year-old mechanical engineer from Tennessee, who bought a hovercraft a year ago, but first underwent training at HTC.

Barry Eison (right) receives his Hovercraft Pilot Certification from HTC Senior Instructor Chris Fizgerald.

Barry keeps a journal of his hovercrafting and often sends us excerpts, so we’ll let him tell his story in his own words …

January 2014:

“I bought a hovercraft because every time we go out hunting, fishing, exploring, we see places we can’t get to. So many areas are inaccessible. Duck hunting is big in my area and one of the biggest frustrations for duck hunters is you have to be able to go from water to land to water – a hovercraft makes that possible. I’ve been looking at hovercraft for five years. I’ve looked at every hovercraft company out there … Neoteric is the only one that doesn’t have a single negative review.”

February 2014: (after his HTC training course)

“My biggest concern was being able to safely operate the craft. Here’s what I learned:

1) Training is absolutely necessary. If you don’t know how to use it, stay off of it!”

2) A hovercraft is a flying machine. Its capabilities must be learned and it takes time to learn to operate it.

3) If one gets too “cocky” or arrogant in their familiarization with the craft, you can get hurt of damage the machine.

4) It’s important to learn to feel the response of the craft and recognize that it doesn’t take much to alter its flight.

5) Anticipate the path you will take when you’re executing turns or other maneuvers.

6) Think, think, think! Starting, stopping – every move requires thought until you know it by heart.

7) Don’t overreact when responding to changes.

8) Learn the machine – inside and out, front to back.”

August 27, 2014:

“I love this machine. The more I use it, the more I realize the engineering and research & development that went into its development. Well done, Neoteric, well done. I am becoming quite confident with it and absolutely cannot wait to get it out hunting this winter. It has already opened up areas that I have hunted my entire life but have never been able to access.”

November 12, 2014:

“The hovercraft has performed very well on the Mississippi River and in and around the barge traffic we encounter. I was able to harvest my first deer from an area that I was previously unable to access but can now using the hovercraft. The state game wardens think it is fascinating and have given me the green light to use it freely on land or water within their motorized vehicle guidelines.”

December 15, 2014:

“I took the hovercraft out on the Mississippi River on Friday afternoon and deliberately targeted rough waters (barge wakes, small whirlpools, traversing small rapids over rock dikes, swift current) and the craft performed absolutely flawlessly. The more I use it the more impressed with it I am. You may want to pass this on to other clients: Do not take the training manual home and set it on a shelf. Print it, put it in a notebook and READ IT. Everything you need to know about the craft is enclosed! It has been a godsend for me.”

Thinking you might like to own a hovercraft?

The first step to building a strong foundation is to see if a hovercraft is right for you.

Take a Test Flight or Standard Training Course

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VIDEO: Hovercraft Pilot Training in Vietnam

Early this year, Hovercraft Training Centers' Senior Instructor Chris Fitzgerald traveled to Hanoi to train first responders from Vietnam's National Department of Rescue & Relief, as well as personnel from Tuyet Nga Co. Ltd., a security and rescue equipment supplier. Tuyet Nga purchased two Neoteric rescue hovercraft for use by the National Department of Rescue & Relief - a great asset in a nation so often plagued by monsoons and floods.

In this recent video, you can see the value of being trained by HTC to train other hovercraft pilots. Here, the HTC-trained pilots are conducting flight training in Vietnam for first responders from Brigade 249 of the Public Affairs Command, who will use the hovercraft for search & rescue and military operations ...

Join the global ranks of HTC-trained hovercraft pilots ...

Take a Test Flight or Training Course

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An Uncommonly Practical but Fun Holiday Gift: Hovercraft Flight

No matter what your occupation, it’s that time of year when you start thinking about the holidays, and about what gifts you’d like to give – or receive! Recently Clay Russell of Richmond, Kentucky, gave himself an uncommonly practical gift that you might want to give someone on your Christmas shopping list – or add to your own “wish list”.

Clay owns a security systems company in Richmond, and has been a volunteer first responder for most of his life. “I joined the fire department when I was just 15 years old, and started driving the truck when I was 21,” he said. “I got out of firefighting some time ago, but I still volunteer with the rescue squad. I’m a little older now, and not as active as I’d like to be. I pretty much work all the time, trying to build up that retirement fund, so I don't have a lot of hobbies.”

Sound familiar? Maybe, like Clay, you or someone on your holiday shopping list needs a break! He decided to mix business with pleasure by taking a Flight Training Course at Hovercraft Training Centers. “I haven’t really had a vacation in a long time by myself, and I needed a diversion,” he laughed. “I guess that’s a big reason I’m here today. But all my diversions have some sort of either business or altruistic motives; I can’t just go recreate by myself. I needed a reason, so I picked this.”

Clay Russell (left) receives his Hovercraft Pilot Certification from HTC Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

Everyone would agree that learning to fly a hovercraft is fun, but how do business and altruism fit into Clay’s motives? “What I need to do today is become as familiar as I can with a hovercraft and take this information back to my department – and to my family – and then convince them to either purchase one or help me purchase one,” he explained. “If we buy a hovercraft, I would own it personally and my department could use it for rescue purposes. After a few years, when I retire, maybe I’ll take it to Florida and start a tourism business, I don’t know. Hopefully I can retire with it and have fun!”

Clay describes why his department needs a hovercraft: “The lakes in our area partially freeze over in the winter, then people walk out onto the ice and, of course, they end up needing to be rescued. And in the summer, we have some swiftwater in the area. The Kentucky River, albeit not swiftwater, has dams, so there’s also choppy water we deal with. We normally use a Zodiac for rescue, but it’s very hard to operate. We need something that will stay stationary in moving water.”

And a hovercraft comes naturally to his family’s outdoor lifestyle. “I do rock climb and hike a little bit, with my 8-year-old daughter. My whole family’s kind of outdoorsy,” Clay said. “And not only is a hovercraft an outdoor vehicle, it’s more technical. As a kind of amateur mechanical engineer, it’s very interesting to see how they work. And they’re not common; I’m into the uncommon things in life.”

Clay also came to Hovercraft Training Centers because we train exclusively on Neoteric hovercraft. “I’ve known about hovercraft for years, and I’ve researched every brand out there. I was most impressed by the Neoteric HoverTrek's reverse thrust. So that’s another reason why I’m here.”

With Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald providing guidance,
Clay Russell experiences the thrill of flying a hovercraft for the first time.

Who in your life needs a break? Maybe someone who has considered a hovercraft for work or play and would love to do a feasibility study that’s actually fun? (If this describes you, start hinting now!) Shirts and ties have their place, but there’s no better stocking stuffer than the gift of hovercraft flight. And it lets you completely avoid the Black Friday rush!

The most unique holiday gift you can give – or receive … 

a Hovercraft Test Flight or Flight Training Course 

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Self-taught Rescue Hovercraft Pilot Takes Flight Training Course

Did you know that temperatures were below freezing this week in 50 U.S. states? At Hovercraft Training Centers, we train in all weather conditions but - especially if you live on the East Coast and are buried in snow - this seems like a good time for you to enjoy some photos of flight training in warm sunshine!

HTC is not only an all-weather hovercraft flight school, we’re also an all-levels-of-experience training center - we train pilots who have been flying hovercraft for years. Scott Hanseth, a first responder with George Larson Marine Rescue in Conway, Washington, has been flying rescue hovercraft for a couple of decades. Yet, shortly before we were hit with an early winter, Scott came to HTC to take a pilot training course. He explains why:

“We’ve been running SCAT hovercraft for 15 to 20 years. We trained ourselves. Some guys pick it up and some guys drive it and say, ‘Not for me.’ It took me awhile to learn how to get comfortable. I want to learn new techniques I can take back to my guys and train them. And I’m interested in learning more about maintenance,” Scott said.

Scott Hanseth (left) receives his Hovercraft Pilot Certification from HTC Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

Last year, George Larson Marine Rescue bought a Neoteric rescue hovercraft for Scott to operate, so he was pleased that HTC trains exclusively on the Neoteric HoverTrek™. “I got tired of dealing with old worn-out machines. We had an opportunity to buy our own, so I researched different brands for a long time and decided on Neoteric,” he said, “When our interstate bridge collapsed, I got to see Snohomish County’s Neoteric craft in operation. Its maneuverability sold me on it.”

George Larson Marine Rescue’s Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™

Scott described why maneuverability is an important feature. “We rescue a lot of duck hunters. We take care of the lower Skagit River where it hits saltwater. The tide fluctuates 8 to 12 feet a day, twice a day, so duck hunters get lost or the tide goes out and they can’t get back in, so we go get them.”

Although it didn’t exactly simulate a 12-foot tidal fluctuation, the Wabash River was flooded on the day that Scott underwent his HTC flight training …

And, as always, part of Scott’s pilot training included maneuvering the hovercraft in and out of places other vehicles have difficulty reaching …

As an experienced rescue hovercraft pilot, did Scott Hanseth learn anything new during his training course? “It was great - I learned a lot!” he said. “I had training a long time ago, but it wasn’t as structured like this was. There’s a quote in your Training Manual about a hovercraft being like a bar of soap with a motor on it … that’s true. If somebody starts flying without training, they’re likely to have a bad experience. Get some training, have a professional teach you. Don’t just wing it.”

Scott’s training course also reaffirmed his department’s decision to buy a Neoteric hovercraft. “The Neoteric handles completely differently than the SCAT. In the SCAT, you always have to shift your weight to keep it level and you have to lean to turn. With the Neoteric’s reverse thrust buckets, you just sit there. And on a SCAT, if you go around a corner the outside edge would just automatically go down. They would plow in, religiously, and I’ve seen guys crash into things with them. With the Neoteric, you don’t have to worry about it, and that’s the big difference. It’s a lot more stable.”

An email from Scott just a few days ago confirmed even more strongly that George Larson Marine Rescue’s decisions about pilot training and hovercraft brand were the right ones. He wrote …

“We used our new hovercraft on its first real incident last night and I was extremely pleased with how it performed. We had to go get two hunters that were stranded in Skagit Bay when the tide went out on them. It was dark, 26 degrees, and the hovercraft operated perfectly. There were no issues with the engine in the freezing conditions and the lights, especially the two we added to the fan shroud, were fantastic. The hovercraft was able to handle myself and the two hunters without trouble. Without a doubt, the Neoteric hovercraft is far superior to the SCAT hovercraft we have run in the past.

First responders: Don't just wing it ...

See how a Hovercraft Pilot Training Course could help you save lives.

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Albuquerque Police Officer Learns to Train Hovercraft Pilots

Even though police officer Andy Montoya has been flying the Albuquerque, New Mexico Police Department’s Neoteric hovercraft for 12 years, he recently enrolled in a week-long Master Training course at Hovercraft Training Centers.

“I’m somewhat self-taught and fairly confident in the techniques that I use, but I want to learn how to do much more, go through more rescue scenarios and learn more about maintenance,” Montoya explained. “And since I hope to retire in a few years, I want to get certified to train others to fly the hovercraft and take my place.”  

Andy Montoya (left) receives his Master Hovercraft Pilot Certification

from HTC Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald.

The rescue hovercraft Montoya flies was built by the Albuquerque Police Department in 2002 from a Neoteric Partially-Assembled Hovercraft Kit, and it has definitely proven its worth. “This hovercraft is just an amazing piece of equipment,” Montoya said. “We’ve used it for body recoveries, evidence searches, and missing persons searches on the Rio Grande River. We’ve used it for Presidential visits; we take the ATF or Secret Service out to search the bottoms of bridges for explosives.”

One of the hovercraft’s most publicized activities is its role in the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest ballooning event and reportedly the most photographed event of any kind in the world ...

The craft is vital in monitoring the ‘Splash-'N-Dash’, where balloonists touch their baskets to the surface of the Rio Grande, then take off again. If a balloon runs low on fuel, or becomes disabled in the trees and brush, the hovercraft is used to transport the disassembled balloon to a safe extraction point since most of the river isn’t accessible by other vehicles. Prior to the use of the hovercraft, helicopters were required to extract stranded balloons - at great expense to the pilots ...

  

When a rescue vehicle is used this extensively, it’s easy to see why Montoya wanted to hone his skills. “Professional training is the absolute way to go, because safety is paramount for a police department,” he said. “And learning how to train others to pilot the craft? If you don’t go to the professional to get certified in that, you’re just wasting your time. You’re not going to learn proper techniques, then you teach others substandard techniques and it creates a domino effect – a dangerous situation for everyone down the road. Small mistakes compound very quickly. Coming here makes it safer for everybody down the line.”

During his week of Master Training, Montoya definitely had the opportunity to work with professionals. Besides Neoteric President/Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald and Flight Instructor Steve Stafford, he was also instructed by HTC-trained Mark Ellis and his highly experienced first responders from the Hazleton Fire Department ...

From the left: Hazleton firefighters Tom Shoemaker, Mark Ellis and Rachel Hyneman;

Senior Flight Instructor Chris Fitzgerald and Flight Instructor Steve Stafford.

The crew spent time in Mt. Carmel, IL where the White and Wabash Rivers conjoin and drain into the Ohio and conditions are ideal for practicing rescue techniques on rough water. In this video clip, Montoya uses the HTC Neoteric training hovercraft’s reverse thrust to maneuver next to a decoy victim …

In this next clip, Montoya practices flying the craft over obstacles. As Hazleton firefighter Mark Ellis says about the Neoteric hovercraft, “It can go right over a log, rocky shallow waters, sand, mud – you name it.”

After intensive rescue practice at Mt. Carmel, the crew prepared for night rescue operations on the river with night vision scopes, but a severe lightning storm, lasting several hours, forced them to abandon this usual component of Master Training.

Next, the crew returned to HTC headquarters in Terre Haute for Montoya to focus on becoming a hovercraft trainer …

Andy Montoya begins his first session as flight instructor with pilot trainee Heather Stafford.

Heather Stafford takes the controls of the hovercraft on the Wabash River

while Andy Montoya provides guidance and suggestions.

At the close of a week of intense training at HTC after flying hovercraft for 12 years, what was Andy Montoya’s reaction? “I’m going home with a whole new confidence. I have a new set of tools and a new set of skills that I could never have gotten anywhere else but here,” he said. “And I have a new respect for what this hovercraft can do – it can do twice what I thought it could do. I can get into places that, before I came here, I never thought I would even try to get into!”

His conclusion? “This has been the best training I’ve ever gone through – and I’ve been through a lot of training classes in 18 years of police work. It’s going to be a huge help, not only for my future on the hovercraft, but for those I’m able to train now.”

See the photo gallery of Andy Montoya's Master Hovercraft Pilot Training ...

                              

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